Teaching Children
I'm a Girl Scout leader at the Daisy level (kindergarten and 1st graders. The girls are between 5 and 7 years old).
Next year, one of the things we hope to work on are the Heritage patches. We'll study Native American Heritage, European Heritage, Jewish Heritage, Hispanic Heritage, Asian Heritage, and African Heritage. The leaders of the troop are white; the girls have a variety of backgrounds.
When I research these areas for ideas, I run into suggestions like doing a seder for the kids (Jewish heritage), or making a making a fetish with them (Native American). I'm dealing with little kids, so doing is better than (just) talking, but so much of what I find to do seems to be disrespectful or inappropriate.
How do we go about setting children on the path to learn about & from their own & other cultures? Does anyone have a good resource? My web searches are leaving me feeling like we do nothing but trivialize all cultures.
Next year, one of the things we hope to work on are the Heritage patches. We'll study Native American Heritage, European Heritage, Jewish Heritage, Hispanic Heritage, Asian Heritage, and African Heritage. The leaders of the troop are white; the girls have a variety of backgrounds.
When I research these areas for ideas, I run into suggestions like doing a seder for the kids (Jewish heritage), or making a making a fetish with them (Native American). I'm dealing with little kids, so doing is better than (just) talking, but so much of what I find to do seems to be disrespectful or inappropriate.
How do we go about setting children on the path to learn about & from their own & other cultures? Does anyone have a good resource? My web searches are leaving me feeling like we do nothing but trivialize all cultures.